Savitar is the third major villain to be a speedster on the series -- one of six in total. Because of this, it's hard for him to be interesting, and the reveal that he was an alternate version of Barry was just silly.
Image: The CW
24. Music Meister
First appearance: Season 3, Episode 17
Music Meister wasn't particularly intimidating or vicious. He did, however, trap The Flash and Supergirl in a musical coma nightmare. While his stay was short-lived, it certainly does stand out.
Image: The CW
23. Rainbow Raider
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 8
The most notable of the Rogues, this emotion manipulator gets credit for turning The Flash against the Arrow in the first crossover between the two shows.
Image: The CW
22. Multiplex
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 2
With the power to instantly create an unlimited number of clones of himself, Multiplex could have been one of The Flash's best villains. Unfortunately, it takes very little for the team to end his threat.
Image: The CW
21. Clock King
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 7
Clock King is the first Arrow villain exported to The Flash. While you might think that makes him a major force in the Arrowverse, it certainly didn't feel like it. He was one of two villains in this episode -- specifically, the one without special powers.
Image: The CW
20. Bug-Eyed Bandit
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 18
Brie Larvan is one of The Flash's smartest villains. While small in stature, she developed tiny, robotic bees to do her bidding.
She's the first villain that originated on The Flash before appearing on Arrow.
Image: The CW
19. Zoom
First appearance: Season 2, Episode 1
The biggest villain of Season 2, Zoom was somebody the team thought they could trust. Secretly, though, he was an evil speedster trying to destroy them. So the show essentially repeated the plot of Season 1.
Still, Zoom deserves some credit for introducing the multiverse.
Image: The CW
18. Trajectory
First appearance: Season 2, Episode 16
She may be a villain-of-the-week, but Trajectory deserves credit for being the show's first female speedster. That's right: Before Jesse Quick suited up to join Team Flash, Trajectory made their lives miserable with her super speed.
Image: The CW
17. Mirror Master
First appearance: Season 3, Episode 4
Mirror Master has the ability to use mirrors as portals, which is very useful for robbing places and getting away. In the end, though, he wasn't a match for The Flash's speed or the brains of the team.
Image: The CW
16. Black Flash
First appearance: Season 2, Episode 23
When Hunter Zolomon is defeated and destroyed by the Speed Force for altering time, he becomes the Black Flash, a decaying remnant of his former self bound to the Speed Force forever. There's no telling when fans will see Black Flash again, but it's bound to be a haunting moment when it happens.
Image: The CW
15. Black Siren
First appearance: Season 2, Episode 22
An evil doppelgänger of Laurel Lance from Earth-2, Black Siren is the type of villain that hurts the most. Earth-1's Laurel was a close friend of the team prior to her death; her duplicate tormenting them was a lot to handle.
Black Siren didn't reach her full potential until she jumped ship to Arrow, however.
Image: The CW
14. Clifford DeVoe
First appearance: Season 4, Episode 1
DeVoe framed Barry for murder to break the team's spirit. He truly is the most genius of The Flash's foes. Given that he's still wreaking havoc on the show, there's no telling how much more damage the Thinker can inflict.
Image: The CW
13. General Eiling
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 5
General Eiling attempted to wield another metahuman as his personal weapon of mass destruction. He was also, at one time, the mind-controlled plaything of Grodd. And yet, he survives.
Image: The CW
12. Girder
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 6
Girder is two villains in one. In Season 1, he could turn his body into steel. But it's his Season 2 return as a zombie that cements his place in The Flash's top villains: There's nothing scarier than a zombie with superpowers.
Image: The CW
11. Golden Glider
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 16
While Captain Cold's sister wasn't able to live up to his reputation, she certainly makes an impact. Opting for a gun that shoots molten gold gives her a certain flair.
Image: The CW
10. Pied Pier
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 11
The Pied Piper's most dangerous assets are his brain and connection to the STAR Labs team. Long before Barry was a meta, this villain was a coworker of Cisco and Caitlin. Unfortunately, he's turned evil and uses that personal connection against them.
He's also none too pleased to have been replaced in the trio by Barry.
Image: The CW
9. Weather Wizard
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 15
The big brother of The Flash's first villain can manipulate the weather in some pretty scary ways. Through creating tornados and torrential storms, Weather Wizard is a valuable asset to the Rogues.
Image: The CW
8. Killer Frost
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 23
Caitlin Snow is one of the nicest people in the multiverse -- and one of the most important members of Team Flash. And yet, she's also one of the show's biggest villains.
When her metahuman powers were unlocked, she developed split personalities. You don't want to get on either one's bad side.
Image: The CW
7. King Shark
First appearance: Season 2, Episode 4
What's there to say about King Shark, other the obvious? This metahuman is a giant, walking shark. He's also one of the show's most creative villains -- one we never thought we'd see adapted from the comics.
Image: The CW
6. The Trickster
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 17
The Trickster, played by Mark Hamill, is absolutely unforgettable. And as the only villain to appear in The Flash television series from 1990-1, he also has a lot of history to him. Underneath it all though, Trickster is a playful, silly, and incredibly vicious villain that takes a lot of cues from the Joker. He ruins lives and does it with a smile.
Image: The CW
5. Time Wraiths
First appearance: Season 2, Episode 17
These ghostly beings are the guardians of the Speed Force, protecting it from speedsters who abuse their power. Given how often Barry broke the rules in the first few seasons of the show, they're constantly paying him a visit with the threat of killing him -- or doing to him what they did to Black Flash.
While the Wraiths are technically villains, you do have to wonder if the abusing speedster is the actual bad guy.
Image: The CW
4. Grodd
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 21
This meta ape has superior intelligence, strength, and size, so it should come as no surprise how big of a challenge he was in Season 1. However, it wasn't until the team jumped into the multiverse and landed in Gorilla City -- a place filled with apes like Grodd -- that his true power was seen.
Image: The CW
3. Heat Wave
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 10
Heat Wave is either the nicest bad guy you'll ever meet or the absolute worst good guy. After being given his fire-spewing gun by Captain Cold, the two formed the Rogues to carry out crimes.
Still, while he's rough around the edges, Heat Wave isn't all bad. Underneath that gruff exterior (and his need to steal from people) is a teddy bear. A foul-mouthed teddy bear.
Image: The CW
2. Captain Cold
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 4
The Flash's first long-term villain isn't a metahuman or somebody looking to destroy the world. He's simply a thief with a gun that can turn you to ice. Captain Cold brings style to his wrongdoing, which is why he's such a fan favorite.
Image: The CW
1. Eobard Thawne
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 1
Whereas fans love Captain Cold, there's nothing but hate for Barry's mentor, Eobard Thawne. Once he was revealed to be the Reverse Flash, he and Barry entered into the ultimate teacher vs. student showdown.
Years later, Eobard is still a thorn in the team's side.
Like clockwork, the next Pokemon Go Community Day is almost here. The monthly event returns once again this Saturday, November 10, giving players around the world a limited time to catch rare Pokemon, earn generous bonuses, and even snag a monster with a special move it normally wouldn't be able to learn.
Each Community Day typically only runs for three hours, but the particulars of these events vary month by month. To help you prepare, we've rounded up the more important details about November 2018's Community Day below, including the time it takes place in each region, what bonuses are available, and which Pokemon you'll be able to catch this time around.
What Is The Featured Pokemon?
Niantic designates a featured Pokemon for each Community Day, which spawns much more frequently in the wild than normal for the duration of the event. This time, that Pokemon will be Cyndaquil, one of the three starters introduced in the series' Gen 2 games, Pokemon Gold and Silver. That means you'll have a much easier time of finding and catching Cyndaquil during the Community Day, and if you're lucky, you'll even be able to come across a Shiny Cyndaquil or two before the event ends.
You'll want to capture as many Cyndaquil as you can during this month's Community Day so you can stock up on Cyndaquil Candy, which you'll need in order to evolve it into Quilava and Typhlosion. If you manage to do that up to an hour after the event ends, your Typhlosion will know Blast Burn, a powerful Fire-type attack it can't typically learn in Pokemon Go. This applies to any Quilava that you evolve during the Community Day, even those you've obtained before the event began.
What Time Does It Start?
Barring a small handful of exceptions, each Community Day only takes place for three hours. Unlike other real-world events such as Pokemon Go Fest, it also isn't held at a particular location, meaning you can take part in the Community Day from anywhere so long as you play during the designated times.
The Community Day will be held around the world, although its exact schedule will vary by region. These hours are typically consistent each month, however, so if you've participated in previous Community Days, you'll already know when it'll be available. If you're participating in the event for the first time or simply need a refresher on its schedule, you can find the hours for each region below.
North America
11 AM - 2 PM PT
2 PM - 5 PM ET
Europe, Middle East, and Africa
10 AM - 1 PM UTC
Asia-Pacific
12 PM - 3 PM JST
What Other Bonuses Are There?
In addition to increased spawns of a particular Pokemon, Niantic typically offers two bonuses for players during each Community Day. This time around, you'll receive twice the normal amount of Stardust for capturing Pokemon and hatching Eggs. That applies to any Pokemon you catch during the event, not just Cyndaquil. What's more, these bonuses stack on top of the ones available through the ongoing Stardust Blast event, which means you'll be able to earn quadruple the amount of Stardust you typically would.
With Lisbeth Salander heading to theaters in a soft reboot of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo franchise, there's something different about the titular character in The Girl in the Spider's Web. This time around, Lisbeth Salander is empowered and she's righting wrongs at every turn she can. In fact, she has quite a bit in common with another vigilante that dresses in black: Batman.
In the movie, Lisbeth, played this time around by Claire Foy, is very reminiscent of the Dark Knight. From her penchant for dressing in black and hiding in the shadows, to her use of high tech gadgets, it's easy to draw a line between the two--Lisbeth even gets her own Batmobile, sort of. Even director Fede Álvarez sees a potential connection to the Caped Crusader. "It does probably go back to Batman," he said. "Maybe also because in that first scene they ask her, 'Who are you?' which takes me back to the first trailer of Tim Burton's Batman."
It's not just surface level traits that might remind you of the DC Comics vigilante, though. Like Bruce Wayne and his caped alter ego, she's also a tortured soul.
For Álvarez, showing this version of Lisbeth, as an incredibly flawed human being trying her best to make the world better, is what mattered most. "It was important because I don't like heroes usually," he told GameSpot. "I don't do heroes in my movies. I might introduce them like one but then part of the story is always going to show the human being behind that. I'm interested in seeing the real human being behind the flawed human being. That's what the movie does, in a way. It starts there, but then, as you know, it just starts going deeper and deeper to who they truly are."
He's not wrong. The Girl in the Spider's Web delves deep into Lisbeth in an attempt to explain the person she's become and why she fights the battles she does. As with Batman, it's childhood trauma that has largely contributed to the person she's grown to be, a lot of which is explored in The Girl in the Spider's Web. More than that, though, as fans of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, there's far more to Lisbeth than her childhood.
It's this kind of flawed humanity that, for Foy, makes the character so interesting to play. "I don't think she's a superhero because she bleeds when you cut her," the actress said. "It's very obvious that she's a human and that the only superpower she has, in a way, I suppose, is her brain. She knows she's not strong enough to fight all of these men but she's able to think faster than them and act quicker. She will always fight to the absolute bitter end. She will be clawing her way out."
While it may be more action-oriented than previous installments of the franchise, The Girl in the Spider's Web is by no means a superhero film. Instead, for Álvarez, this is the story of a flawed woman who is still learning about the world, even as she tries to save it. "I like to relate to characters through their mistakes, rather than through heroic acts," he said.
The Girl in the Spider's Web is in theaters on November 9.
When The Girl in the Spider's Web arrives in theaters, it's going to tell a very different kind of stories than fans of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo may be expecting. Thus far, the films in the franchise--four in total--have cast Lisbeth Salander in a secondary role to journalist Mikael Blomkvist.
This new installment from director Fede Álvarez puts the spotlight directly on Lisbeth, played by Claire Foy, with Dragon Tattoo protagonist Blomkvist (Sverrir Gudnason) settling into the role of sidekick. When asked about that choice by GameSpot, Álvarez explained, "It was the reason to make the movie, really. For me, it was the reason to make the film. For a character that is such a feminine icon, suddenly I realized most of those movies she's just the sidekick, almost. She's the coolest character in those movies and those stories but she's usually there to serve the man's story."
Knowing the focus would shift to Lisbeth is what made Foy sign on in the first place. "I hadn't seen that before in the previous movies, and I was really interested," she said. "I think if he [Álvarez] had tried to make it exactly how it was before, it would have been kind of a useless exercise, really. But he had a new take on it and an idea of how he'd like to approach it."
And that new take was the perfect fit for The Girl in the Spider's Web. The book it's based on, which is written by David Lagercrantz, delves into the childhood of Lisbeth and introduces her sister as the primary antagonist. It's a story that wouldn't make sense told any other way. "This is the perfect opportunity because this is a story you can tell 100% from her point of view," Álvarez said.
In doing so, there's a potential for even more films of the franchise that follow the exploits of Lisbeth. As we previously discussed with both Álvarez and Foy, this new film turns the titular Girl in the Spider's Web into something of a Batman-like figure, a vigilante that works in the shadows to right wrongs as she sees fit.
What remains to be seen is what any further films would be based on. Spider's Web is the first of Lagercrantz's two novels in the Millennium series. The author took over the book franchise following the death of Stieg Larson, who wrote the first three entries--The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest--each of which was adapted into a movie in Sweden. In 2011, David Fincher rebooted The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for American audiences, with Rooney Mara (Lisbeth) and Daniel Craig (Mikael) starring. In theory, any of those three books or Lagercrantz's The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye could be adapted into the next chapter of the current series, but with a stronger focus on Lisbeth.
Whether any of that happens, though, depends on how audiences react to this new Lisbeth Salander. Find out for yourself when The Girl in the Spider's Web hits theaters on November 9.
It's incredibly easy to miss out on Red Dead Redemption 2's most interesting side-events and secret encounters. With the involved main story taking well over 50 hours to complete, it can often be challenging to pull yourself away from the plot to venture off to places that house strange and fascinating side events. In addition to many callbacks to the original game, featuring the return of key locations and characters, several of these moments showcase Red Dead 2's weird and morbid side.
In this feature, we've rounded up a number of side events, Easter eggs, and references that speak to the amount of diversity and sheer attention to detail that Red Dead Redemption 2 has hidden in its world. A word of warning, however: Given that some time has passed since the release of the game, we've decided to include things from later part of the story--particularly some events of the epilogue. Spoilers follow.
Whether it's chance meetings with ghosts, a UFO, or even a vampire, the open world Western always tries to keep things interesting for those that want to dive a bit deeper. If you want to know more about what you can find in the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, including many of the hidden weapons and the legendary animals, or if you just want to hear more of our thoughts on the finer details of the game, be sure to check out our continuing coverage--which includes our weekly show Quickdraw, highlighting many of Red Dead 2's important details and features.
The Meteorite
In one of the more short encounters, you can stumble upon the aftermath of small meteorite impact. Located just northeast of Roanoke Valley and Annesburg, you'll find an isolated home with smoke seeping out of a hole in its roof. Once inside the house, you'll find a group of corpses near a small crater in the center of the room. Approaching the crater will allow you to pick up a meteorite, which evidently killed the unsuspecting people inside. After leaving the home, Arthur will make a note of the event in his journal. While you're free to hang onto this rock from outer space, you can also sell it for cash.
The Ghosts of Lemoyne
While each region has its own fair share of oddities, the area of Lemoyne is particularly rife with supernatural activity--which you can witness when walking around in the late hours of the night. In the western part of Bluewater Marsh at approximately 2 AM, you'll hear hysterical ravings from a person in the wild. As you venture deeper in, you'll see a glowing figure wearing a white gown off in the distance. This ghost will relive her last moments alive, shouting out into the darkness for help. If you try approaching the ghost, she'll vanish into thin air. With three different stages, each encounter will become progressively more morbid, revealing how she died and why she continues to haunt the area.
In addition to the wandering ghost, there's also a runaway phantom train that haunts the tracks in the early morning. While exploring the area around the tracks just northwest of Scarlett Meadows at around 3 AM, you can hear the faint sound of a train echo through the night. But instead of an actual train, you'll see the ghostly image of one racing through the dark. Unlike the other ghost, this train can be approached, and you can even ride through it on your horse. The train won't stay around for long, however. After riding on the tracks for some time, the phantom train will disappear before your eyes.
The UFO And The Cult
There is a ruined chapel located in the eastern section of New Hanover. If you enter around 2 AM, you'll find a morbid scene with several dead members of a cult. Together, they sought to commune with an otherworldly being who only showed at night. After reading the diary of the cult leader, you're given some hints on how you can trigger one of the game's most bizarre events, which manages to push Red Dead 2's weirdness up by several degrees.
You can learn more details on where you can find the church, and how you can trigger this close encounter by checking out our video on this particular event.
The Plague Town
To the northwest of the Lagras swamp, you can find an abandoned town named Pleasance. With some callbacks to Tumbleweed in Red Dead Redemption 1 and to the viral horror in Undead Nightmare, Pleasance is a town with a lot of history behind it, but we're left with only minor details to piece together what happened in this tucked-away town. On the doors of the town barn, you'll find a large message stating "Stay Out, Plague." Nearby, you can also find the town graveyard, offering up some details on the lives of the former residents. Aside from a note shedding some light on the town's past, there isn't much else to uncover--leaving the rest to your imagination.
The Elusive Bigfoot
As something of a running joke from previous open-world Rockstar games, encountering Bigfoot has been something that many fans have expected since the first hoax in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Though Red Dead Redemption's Undead Nightmare DLC finally offered a chance to meet the fabled creature, it didn't end particularly well for the Sasquatch, resulting in one of the more tragic missions in the game. However, Red Dead Redemption 2 features some nods to those encounters, leading up to a surprisingly bittersweet moment. Though you can find several sets of Giant bones throughout the world which strongly resemble the fabled creature, it's possible to meet with one of the last remaining Sasquatch.
In order to have a meeting with Bigfoot, make sure you have examined over 30 animals, which you can check in your compendium. After that's done, head to the Calumet Ravine, located just east of the Wapiti Reservation. On the west side of the ravine, you'll see a flock of birds near the water. They'll immediately fly off in unison after you get close enough, and you'll need to follow them as best you can. Eventually, they'll take you to a remote cave to the east. Once you arrive, you'll hear voice echo out from a nearby cave which is inaccessible to you.
While conversing with the cave-dweller, who is no doubt the reclusive Bigfoot, you'll learn more about why they're in isolation. After finishing your chat, you can return several days later to check up on him and pick up where things left off. You'll never actually see Bigfoot in-game, though it is refreshing to have a surprisingly human chat with the Sasquatch, who just longs for friendship.
The Scientist and His Creation
Like in Red Dead Redemption 1, you'll encounter peculiar individuals who toy with machines that inevitably lead to their downfall. Once you arrive in Saint Denis during Chapter 4, you'll come across a character named Marko Dragic, a foreign inventor who seeks to master the forces of life and death through electricity. Starting up the Stranger mission The Bright Bouncing Boy, you'll complete several tasks for him in the area before he returns to his lab located northwest of Annesburg. If you meet him there, he'll give you another mission where you'll have to help him harness lighting to give life to his ultimate creation--a walking, talking robot.
If you return later, you'll find Dragic's lab in shambles and the robot missing. In the lab, you'll find an electric lantern, which will help you track the walking machine. In order to find the machine, return to Colter--the abandoned town from the opening chapter--and head up the mountains to the west. The lantern will glow orange when facing in the direction of the lost robot. Once you reach the top of the cliff overlooking Colter, you'll find the the lost machine sitting alone--calling out for his "papa."
The Vampire of Saint Denis
Saint Denis is an incredibly dense and populated town, offering up a lot of interesting opportunities to uncover in the back alleys. However, there's one terrifying encounter that will take some work to find, leading to a surprising confrontation with a creature of the night. Throughout the city are clues written on the sides of structures. These clues will eventually point you towards the location of a vampire. Though this event may seem like it's totally out of place in Red Dead 2, the build up to this moment, where you learn more about the location and the residents of Saint Denis, makes it an incredibly tense and satisfying event to see play out.
Though this is a very brief encounter, this isolated shack in the woods has a very tragic history to it. Just west of Braithwaite Manor in Lemoyne, you'll come across a small community near the water. While in the village, you'll hear incensed ranting from someone in the nearby forest. Heading slightly south, you'll come to a shack with chains wrapped around it. The voice inside becomes louder when you approach, and when you decide to examine it, a hand will reach out and try to grab Arthur.
If you take the time to listen to her dialogue, you'll find out that she's one of Braithwaite family's long held secrets--they abandoned her due to her mental illness and physical deformities. Unfortunately, there's no way to free her from her confinement. If you encountered the woman prior to the epilogue, returning again during the end-game will see the woman dead in the shack, long forgotten after the fall of the Braithwaite family.
The New Hanover Serial Killer
In the game's most gruesome encounter, you'll come face-to-face with one of Red Dead 2's most ruthless villains. Just southeast of Valentine, you can find the first location of a ritualistic murder, displaying the mutilated corpse with the words "Look upon my works" written on the nearby rock. From here, you'll be able to uncover other clues to uncover the identity of the serial killer roaming New Hanover and nearby regions. Solving the mystery eventually leads to a shocking confrontation with the murderer.
For a more in-depth guide on how to track and take down this Wild West serial killer, be sure to check out our guide.
The following slides include late-game spoilers. Proceed with caution.
[Spoilers] John Can't Swim
Anyone who's played through Red Dead Redemption 1 can attest to John Marston's incompetence in large bodies of water. When he would get too deep, he'd die instantly. Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, however, is a far more reliable swimmer, and he's very quick to remind John of that while speaking with him. During some story missions and while hanging out at camp, Arthur and other gang members will tease John for his inability to swim.
While this can be seen as a subtle nod to the original game, there's a bit more to it than just a throwaway joke. During the game's Epilogue chapters, you'll shift perspective to John Marston, and you'll likely figure out during the worst possible time that John still can't swim. If you ever find yourself in deep water, John's stamina cores will drain instantly, putting him in immediate danger. Though this can come off as bit of a hassle, especially after many hours playing as Arthur Morgan, it is still a humorous--if cruel--reminder of a real danger from the first game.
[Spoilers] I Know You
Throughout Red Dead Redemption 2, you'll see many callbacks to some memorable locations and people from the first game. Aside from the members of the Van der Linde gang, you can hear some characters speak about Landon Ricketts--the legendary gunslinger from RDR1--and even Bonnie MacFarlane, referenced in a letter found in Annesburg. Though New Austin and the town of Blackwater are barred off from the Van Der Linde gang for much of the game, you'll eventually return during the Epilogue chapters when playing as John Marston. John and his family will get accustomed to living a normal life on their ranch at Beecher's Hope. You can even visit many areas from the previous game to see just how different they were in the time before his next adventure.
While visiting the town of Armadillo in New Austin, you'll be able to run into several characters whom you might know from Red Dead Redemption 1. In the general store, you'll meet up with Herbert Moon, the abrasive and anti-semitic owner of the place. Behind him on the shelf is a picture of another familiar fellow, the Strange Man from Red Dead 1's infamous "I Know You" side mission. John will even make a comment about knowing him, but can't quite place exactly from where.
Editor's note: This is an early take on Battlefield V for PC; a full review is in the works but we will require many more hours to fully engage and evaluate everything the game has to offer. The overall opinion is subject to change through the review process.
The Battlefield series has always been about capturing the scale of war, and Battlefield V delivers as expected. Large maps made of both open fields and narrow lanes pit players in chaotic fights to capture objectives and deplete the enemy respawn count. Different classes empower soldiers with specific capabilities that provide distinct advantages in the right situations. And of course, tanks and aircraft not only change gameplay dynamics, but can swing the tide of battle in deft hands. The initial impression is that Battlefield V revels in familiarity--this entry doesn't stray away from the franchise formula, but it's a fine execution thus far.
It's been a while since the franchise set foot in World War II, but this time, it does so with lesser-known conflicts at the forefront. It's oddly refreshing to discover aspects of history that go overlooked. While we've had a steady diet of the snow-covered Narvik map prior to release, the game's collection of landscapes are varied set pieces. The lush vegetation of Western Europe and the harsh deserts of North Africa present beauty in the wake of utter destruction--all these battles have been inspired by the history books and realized in a refined Frostbite engine, which has never looked better. However, the maps themselves have their limitations.
Battlefield V is as devastating as it is beautiful.
Conquest has always been Battlefield's staple. Two huge teams fight to control capture points across a sprawling map, which helps hasten the drain of the enemy ticket count. It's a time-tested mode, but it also highlights the shortcomings of a few maps. I can admire the spectacle of Fjell 652 and the tight firefights that take place around the capture points, but navigating the map's narrow paths hasn't been much fun. Narvik's capture points encourage a variety of encounters with regards to distance, elevation, and space, but rather than flowing together, the maps feel like a collection of disparate parts for the sake of enabling these types of engagements. Metropolitan maps have certainly worked in the series' past, but Rotterdam hasn't been a great showcase of Battlefield V's strengths as matches can easily devolve into tedious shootouts on city streets.
If you're caught out of place, you'll be punished--in other words, you'll be shot in the back and flanked from unsuspecting locations frequently. While it can grow frustrating, overcoming seemingly hopeless scenarios is part of the process.
Grand Operations takes you into war-like scenarios that set teams up for a series of three consecutive matches, each in a different game mode and map (or variation of a map) from the same theater. This mode can be a big time commitment, but it has been the best part of Battlefield V so far, as Grand Operations keeps up the momentum and shakes up gameplay just enough to retain players through the course of the whole set of matches. The light contextualization of what both sides are trying to accomplish that goes into each phase helps (ever so slightly) paint a more enticing picture of multiplayer, rather than having you unceremoniously jump into the fray.
Success in Battlefield V very much depends on being at the right place at the right time. If you're caught out of place, you'll be punished--in other words, you'll be shot in the back and flanked from unsuspecting locations frequently. While it can grow frustrating, overcoming seemingly hopeless scenarios is part of the process. Adapting to situations that develop on the field and being a helpful teammate are further encouraged by the four returning classes: Assault, Medic, Support, and Recon. So far, it seems like a small tweak helps to bring out teamwork--squadmates can revive each other regardless of class, without negating the importance of Medics since they can revive anyone and dole out additional health packs.
Player progression is dispersed in several ways. For one, you have career progression, which is your simple overall rank. Then there's class progression, which paves the way for unlocking equipment to further customize your loadout. And lastly, both weapons and vehicles contain their own progression paths. There appears to be a lot of systems at work, but rewards seem fairly lean outside of skins and individual weapon perks.
Microtransactions are currently absent from the game, so we can't comment on the business model yet. However, you earn in-game currency called Company Coins, which appear to be mainly for acquiring cosmetics like soldier uniforms and weapon camouflage. A few things like weapon perks cost Company Coins, but thankfully they're cheap and require you to reach a certain level beforehand.
The game's not a multiplayer-only endeavor with the return of War Stories, the single-player campaign offering that debuted in Battlefield 1. It serves as a tool to acquaint yourself with the basics of the game while providing grounded perspectives from contrasting theaters of war. Battlefield V itself starts not on a main menu, but in a playable teaser of each vignette from War Stories. Part of me wants to fully accept the sincerity that's trying to be communicated through the narration and cutscenes, but I can't help but feel it veering off into melodrama to a fault. I've only touched on the English campaign, but I'm hoping it makes good on the humanizing tone it appears to go for.
Sloshing through the mud in a tank in Twisted Steel is a necessary evil.
Battlefield V can be rough around the edges. Player models can clip through the world's geometry, sometimes sending bodies into a ragdoll frenzy. You may see teammates get revived only for their character model to frantically zip 20 feet in another direction. As of now, servers have occasional instability in terms of performance and packet loss (which causes choppy motion in-game). Thankfully, I haven't experienced hard crashes or drops from servers.
The initial impression is that Battlefield V revels in familiarity--this entry doesn't stray away from the franchise formula, but it's a fine execution thus far.
As of now, it feels as if Battlefield V is a variation on a well-established theme. It maintains the series tradition of grand spectacle with incredible sound design, impactful weaponry, and large-scale multiplayer chaos. There's a lot more to dig into, like the fortification system, squad reinforcements perks, and how destruction may change map dynamics, and spending more time with the game will paint a better picture. At the end of the day, it's still Battlefield, and Battlefield V is shaping up to be a good one at that.
By Anonymous on Nov 10, 2018 07:54 am The first season of Mayans M.C. wrapped up with a handful of fun callbacks to Sons of Anarchy. Join Chris E. Hayner has he reveals his favorite SAMCRO easter eggs from FX's Mayans.
It's difficult to define which exact genre Cellar Door Games' Full Metal Furies belongs to. On a cursory glance, the co-op game appears to be no more than a well-structured brawler, and you'd be forgiven if you completed its 15-hour campaign thinking that's all it is. However, if you dig a little deeper into the optional hidden content, there's another five to seven hours of complex, multi-layered riddles to find. There's a fascinating meta narrative interwoven into Full Metal Furies' puzzles, and journeying to its end makes for a satisfying cooperative experience.
In Full Metal Furies, each player takes control of one of four adventurers. If played solo, the game puts you in control of two and you can switch between them at will. There's Triss, the leader whose penchant for sassily drinking tea often leads to hilarious spit-takes; Meg, the lazy, nearsighted sniper with a poor sense of direction; Erin, the brainy tinkerer who desperately wants to be cool; and Alex, the air-headed soldier who wholeheartedly believes bashing in the skulls of the arrogant men she and her friends run into should be both a first and last resort to solving all their problems.
Collectively known as the Furies, the four girls are on a quest to cross the monster-infested wasteland that humanity once called its home in order to find and destroy god-like entities known as the Titans. The sons and daughters of the mad tyrant Cronus, each of the four Titans desires a better world, and their conflicting ideologies as to how to bring about that dream have led to a war that threatens to destroy all life.
This seemingly straightforward battle between good and evil hides a surprising number of twists and turns. With every step forward, the Furies notice more signs that their efforts might be actually causing more problems than they're solving. But the team keeps pushing onwards, hoping that in the long run, their efforts will have a positive effect on the world. The narrative plays out in a series of sprite-based conversations, both during and in between combat missions. For the most part, these are tongue-in-cheek skits--some even throw in the occasional pun or reference to the fact that this is all a video game--but a few also focus on Triss' growth. Despite putting on airs, she struggles with the responsibilities of leadership and the morality of the Furies' quest. Unfortunately, her teammates don't receive the same treatment, and are fairly two-dimensional throughout the main campaign.
In combat, each of the four ladies handle and attack in their own way. For example, Meg can use a grappling hook to maneuver out of danger and snipe opponents from afar, while Triss can defend her teammates and herself with a near indestructible shield and also clear out enemies by screaming at the top of her lungs. Each of the girls fulfills a unique role seen in many other team-based brawlers--with Triss as the tank, Alex as the fighter, Meg as the archer/sniper, and Erin as the summoner.
Full Metal Furies supports couch co-op and online multiplayer. As of publishing this review, the Switch servers are fairly empty, but we did manage to test online play using two copies of the game and can confirm it works relatively smoothly. There were some brief stutters at the start of a few levels, but none of them negatively impacted gameplay. However, my game did completely crash at one point.
It's unfortunate the servers are so empty as playing with an incomplete team puts you at an immediate disadvantage. So unless you recruit some friends for couch co-op, you're in for a fairly tough time. Even Erin and Meg are crucial, as Triss and Alex rely on their teammates' supportive attacks to give them both time to recharge their special abilities. Button-mashing with the two melee fighters can be an effective strategy early on, but it will only get your team so far. Mid- and late-game enemies and bosses require a certain degree of tactical assessment, and chaining together each character's abilities is the ideal path to success. For example, when confronted with a mob of jumping werewolves that are too quick for the slower fighters, your team might rely on Triss' area-of-effect shout to stun a few, use Alex's dive bomb jump to launch the weakened wolves into the air, and then have Meg shoot their leader out of the sky. All the while, Erin's portable turret and her mid-range pistol can finish off the members of the pack not caught up in the combo.
Combat in Full Metal Furies is constantly evolving, with new enemy types appearing almost every third level. It keeps the game from descending into a grindfest of similar foes, while leaving room for you to experiment with new strategies on enemies you've encountered before. Sections of certain levels can get brutal, resulting in dozens of game over screens. But checkpoints are numerous, cutscenes you've seen are skippable, and it's typically very clear which careless mistake resulted in the failed mission. If anything, the game's combat seems content to really only punish those who play with less than four people, which presents an interesting way of making the game easier or more difficult for yourself at any point in the game. If things are still too hard with a full team of four, or you can't scrounge up a full team but don't want to make the game more difficult, there's an easier Story Mode too.
Despite being labeled as a brawler, only about half of Full Metal Furies is regulated to combat. The other half is a series of interlacing puzzles and riddles, and it's here where the co-op nature of Full Metal Furies truly shines.
None of the puzzles or riddles in Full Metal Furies are obvious to find, and the game doesn't teach you how to solve them either. It's completely dependent on the player to be curious enough to wonder if the symbol-covered stones hidden throughout about two dozen of the game's levels are more than meets the eye. Finding the stones themselves is a challenge, and once discovered, each stone's riddle is typically even tricker to figure out.
Eventually, the main campaign reveals that solving these riddles is necessary for gaining access to the game's final area and true ending. The riddles grow more meta as you discover additional stones, some even requiring you to do things outside of the main game, such as watching a YouTube video for a clue or adjusting the game's accessibility settings to perceive colors and sound in a new way. Teaming up with friends to overcome a challenging boss fight is fun, but the most satisfying moments in Full Metal Furies are when you have a eureka moment and are able to figure out the next piece of the overarching mystery. Several of the solutions to certain puzzles and riddles rely on a particular Furies' unique skill as well--some answers even require multiple Furies or the full roster of four--so every player gets to enjoy being a part of the process of figuring something out at some point. Completing this game is very much a team effort, and it successfully makes sure no single player feels left out or useless.
So yes, Full Metal Furies is primarily a brawler, and a good one that promotes teamwork instead of button-mashing. But it's also a very hard puzzle game, one that challenges you to perceive each level, as well as the game's mechanics and characters, in new ways. It's a shame most of the Furies are so two-dimensional throughout the main campaign--especially Meg, who's arguably the most lovable of the bunch--but the story is consistently witty with its humor and an absolute joy to watch unfold. And while coming up with strategies to handle new enemies and piecing together the clues for each puzzle is fairly difficult at times, it's a rewarding and deeply satisfying challenge.
Destiny 2 players are still hoping for a new Exotic in Thunderlord, which is presumed to be the reward for the on-going, multi-week murder-mystery quest that started at the end of the Festival of the Lost. But if waiting three weeks to get your hands on a new Exotic is just too long, you can rely on Xur, the weird merchant and servant of The Nine who pops up each weekend. As always, he has a handful Exotics to sell you in exchange for Legendary Shards. Here's where to find him and what he's selling right now.
This week, you'll find Xur on Io. Spawn in at the Giant's Scar landing zone and hop on your sparrow, then head straight through the Cabal base into the drilling area beyond. Head for the northwest corner of the area and look for a cave near some Taken enemies. Inside and to the right is Xur, creeping in the darkness.
His lineup of Exotics, as per usual, includes one weapon and one piece of armor for each of the three classes from the Year One collection. The weapon is The Prospector, a grenade launcher you can hold down the trigger to fire in full-auto mode. When you release the trigger, you can detonate all your launched grenades at once--and they stick to surfaces and set things on fire, too.
The Prospector (Exotic grenade launcher) -- 29 Legendary Shards
Alongside the direct-purchase items above, Xur has the Fated Engram. This is guaranteed to decrypt into a Year One Exotic you don't already own, making it a good way to fill out your collection if you find Xur's offerings lacking--provided you can afford it.
Even if you can't, the latest Destiny 2 update mercifully makes Exotic duplicates less likely to drop. The game now accounts for the Exotics you've got in your collection when a new one drops randomly in the world, which will decrease the chance of getting an Exotic you already own. Duplicates are still possible, but Bungie has also changed things so dupes are more likely to be armor than weapons, because armor pieces feature random perks, meaning there is a potential upside to finding something you already have.
The update has also increased the chances of unlocking a quest to get another Exotic: Malfeasance, a Taken-infused hand cannon. The quest line to track it down starts when a specific boss, the Primeval Ascendant Servitor, appears in Gambit matches. Bungie's last update upped the rate at which the Servitor shows up in Gambit, which should hopefully mean more Malfeasances for more players.
Xur is here until the weekly reset on November 13, and he'll only show up two more times before Destiny 2 closes Season 4 on November 27, according to a recent blog post. That means your Gambit and Crucible ranks will reset--but at least in the meantime, you'll be able to jump into Iron Banner again starting on November 13 to try to complete your spiffy Iron Lord armor sets.
What a wild year it has been for movie theater subscription services. The meteoric rise of MoviePass is perhaps matched only by the sudden fall of the service, as other options came to market--including Sinemia and AMC Stubs A-List, each of which managed to offer perks MoviePass couldn't. Make sure to take a look at our review of all three services.
With the year coming to a close, though, there's another change happening. AMC is raising the prices on their A-List service, at least in some states. According to The Hollywood Reporter, AMC Theaters is raising the subscription price for Stubs A-List beginning in January 2019 in 15 states and one district--the ones where the service is most popular thus far.
With that higher price, users will still be allowed three tickets each week, including 3D and IMAX format screenings. For California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, the service will rise from $19.95 each month to $23.95. Meanwhile, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia will see their price rise to $21.95.
As AMC CEO-president Adam Aron explained to THR, the increase will help keep the program profitable. "Our decision to keep the AMC Stubs A-List monthly price unchanged in 35 states, along with only a modest price adjustment in some key markets going in place in early 2019 will keep us in that sweet spot of successfully balancing profits and popularity," he said.
It's not too late to lock in the $19.95 price, though, at least for a year. Aron revealed that new subscribers who sign up before the end of 2018 will not see their rates rise for a full 12 months after enrollment.
As for the future of AMC Stubs A-List, this likely isn't a sign that the service is struggling. When MoviePass changed its terms, it tended to do so at the last minute, leaving many confused about what, exactly, they got for their money. Stubs isn't changing any of the terms of its subscription, other than the price in selected states.
In terms of sheer numbers, deals on individual games represent the bulk of the gaming offers we see on Black Friday. Based on what we've seen so far this year, that will again be the case, but it doesn't mean you have no cheap options for picking up a console like PS4.
While it's still early, the ads we've seen released to date do include some very nice PlayStation 4 offers. One of Target's best gaming deals is a doorbuster that gets you a 1TB PS4 Slim and a copy of Spider-Man for only $200. You'll find an identical sale at both Best Buy and Walmart, too. You could argue that would be a nice price for the system alone, but to get a $60 game that was just released in September makes it even sweeter.
While this being available through at least stores is encouraging, if you're interested, you'll want to head to your local store (or to its website) as soon as possible on Black Friday. In some areas, stores will actually open on Thanksgiving Day, and Best Buy will have early access in the beginning of Thanksgiving week. You can check out the full Target ad or the store you plan on heading to for further details.
We're sure to see more deals pop up for PS4, and we'll continue to update this post as they emerge. One pre-Black Friday offer is coming on November 10 at Sam's Club, where you can buy a system (without any bundled games) for $229. Unlike Target, however, Sam's requires you to have a membership.
On the games side, we've already seen confirmed discounts for some of PS4's biggest games of the year, including God of War, NBA 2K19, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. We'll be hunting for deals all month long, so be sure to check back with us as more Black Friday ads are revealed, and check out our roundup of PS4 deals.
The 25 Best Star Wars Droids From Movies, TV, Books And Video Games
Droids stand out as some of the most interesting and fun characters in Star Wars. After sorting through all the movies, TV shows, video games and books, we've ranked our favorite droids in the franchise.
25. Aly San San
First appearance: Star Tours
This spokesdroid appears only in the Star Tours ride at Disney attractions, but it lives in the hearts of many a sentimental park-goer. She not only pops up in advertisements within the ride's queue, but also gives public safety announcements to riders.
Image: Lucasfilm
24. RA-7 (Death Star Droid)
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
When introduced, the RA-7 units are seen on the Death Star and the Jawa Sandcrawler. With their insect-like heads, they stand out almost immediately. That's both a good and bad thing; sometimes it's hard to look away from those creepy bug eyes.
Image: Lucasfilm
23. Viper Probe Droid
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
This droid's crash into the surface of Hoth kicks off what becomes an action-packed movie. Plus, its arrival--and subsequent self-destruction--is an omen for the Empire's arrival.
Image: Lucasfilm
22. Interrogation Droid
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
While the interrogation droid doesn't get a ton of screentime in A New Hope, its presence still haunts our nightmares. After all, this is a droid whose entire purpose is getting information out of a helpless captive, even through torture.
Image: Lucasfilm
21. 2-1B
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
It's not a major part of the Star Wars franchise, but this surgical droid plays a key role in Episode V. If not for 2-1B Luke Skywalker would still have only one hand.
Image: Lucasfilm
20. AP-5
First appearance: Star Wars Rebels
AP-5 is a very special RA-7 unit. Not satisfied with his life as an inventory droid, AP-5 befriends Chopper and joins the rebellion. This particular droid gets to show a lot of personality--even if it is a grumpy one.
Image: Lucasfilm
19. TT-8L (Gatekeeper Droid)
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
The infamous eyeball-on-a-stick droid is one of the most bizarre in the Star Wars universe. When C-3PO and R2-D2 meet the security guard in Return of the Jedi, it's hard not to laugh.
Image: Lucasfilm
18. R0-GR (Roger)
First appearance: LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures
Like his fellow Battle Droids, he once served in an army, but Roger is not programmed to be Rowan Freemaker's best friend. There are many droid sidekicks throughout Star Wars, but Roger might be the only one considered a member of his master's family.
Image: Lucasfilm
17. MSE-6 (Mouse Droid)
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
It may not be weaponized, but it's hard to forget the mouse droid. The tiny, wheeled robot can often be seen scurrying along in the background, headed to fix anything in need of repair. Without them, most of the galaxy would probably fall to pieces.
Image: Lucasfilm
16. Pistoeka sabotage droid
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Their ability to attach to a ship in-flight and disassemble it makes them a powerful weapon. Our inability to pronounce their name, though, puts them at a disadvantage.
Image: Lucasfilm
15. WAC-47
First appearance: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
WAC-47, a pit droid piloting a ship, has a bit of an attitude, but it for good reason. It hates seeing other droids treated like property. #resist
Image: Lucasfilm
14. EV-9D9
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
While 9D9 appears in only one movie, it certainly is a memorable moment. The supervisor droid is quick to put C-3PO and R2-D2 to work within Jabba the Hutt's palace, paying no attention to their antics.
Image: Lucasfilm
13. AZI-3
First appearance: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
This medical droid befriends ARC trooper Fives and ends up assisting in uncovering the Order 66 conspiracy.
Image: Lucasfilm
12. Professor Huyang
First appearance: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
At over 1,000 generations old, Huyang is a little-known iconic piece of Star Wars history. The Garrick Ollivander of the Star Wars universe, this droid teaches Jedi younglings how to assemble lightsabers. One of those younglings: Yoda, who went on to become a Jedi Grand Master.
Image: Lucasfilm
11. Battle Droids
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
These droids might be the most memorable thing about the first Star Wars prequel, thanks to their attack on Naboo. Equal parts silly and brazen, these droids are the perfect easily disposable foils in the movie.
Image: Lucasfilm
10. RX-24 (Captain Rex)
First appearance: Star Tours
This pilot droid may have originated as part of the Star Tours ride, but thanks to Star Wars Rebels, it is now a canonical character. Actor Paul Reubens voices both versions of the droid.
Image: Lucasfilm
9. R2-KT
First appearance: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The story behind R2-KT is what makes this pink droid do special. It first debuted in the real world, built for a young Star Wars fan suffering from brain cancer. After the droid made a cameo appearance in the Clone Wars movie, it went on to also appear in The Force Awakens.
Image: Lucasfilm
8. Droideka
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
The battle droids are easily disposable in The Phantom Menace, but these destroyers are a different story. These vicious droids were heavily armed and come with forcefields that make them equal parts very cool and very deadly.
Image: Lucasfilm
7. T3-M4
First appearance: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
It's hard to imagine KOTOR without this droid, which essentially functions as your closest ally. Clearly derived from R2-D2, T3-M4 has a quirky personality and is useful throughout the game.
Image: Lucasfilm
6. HK-47
First appearance: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
This assassin droid is more blunt than T3-M4 but makes for a much better ally in Knights of the Old Republic. It calls humans "meatbags" and is ready to kill anything that crosses it, but HK-47 is a fun and funny companion to have, regardless of what side of the Force you're on.
Image: Lucasfilm
5. C1-10P (Chopper)
First appearance: Star Wars Rebels chapter books
What R2-D2 is to the original Star Wars saga, Chopper is to Rebels. While it may come across as a grump at first, Chopper is loyal to the end when it comes to protecting the crew of the starship Ghost.
Image: Lucasfilm
4. K-2SO
First appearance: Star Wars: Rogue One
Perhaps the funniest droid in all of Star Wars, K-2SO may also be the heart of Rogue One. The companion of Cassian Andor, K-2 is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the galaxy.
Image: Lucasfilm
3. BB-8
First appearance: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
What to say about this ball-like breakout hit of The Force Awakens? With a personality that's equal parts childlike and sarcastic, BB-8 has quickly become one of the most personality-packed droids in all of Star Wars.
Image: Lucasfilm
2. C-3PO
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
One half of the droid team that started it all, C-3PO is essentially R2-D2's straight man. Having appeared in every saga movie thus far, 3PO provides a major throughline for the Star Wars universe; his importance can't be overstated.
Image: Lucasfilm
1. R2-D2
First appearance: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Who else would rank as the best droid in Star Wars? R2-D2 captures everything that is fun about this franchise. Its happy-go-lucky, brave, selfless attitude as it goes on wide-ranging adventures are exactly what you'd hope for in Luke Skywalker's companion.
Children of the 1980s and 1990s were really, truly lucky. It was a golden age where there was an action figure for just about any situation and most of them seemed to come with cartoons designed to promote them. Even Transformers, one of the biggest cartoon and film franchises of all time, started life as a glorified commercial to sell toys.
But with so many options at the toy store, back in the day when Toys 'R' Us reigned supreme, there are definitely some items not remembered quite as fondly as G.I. Joe, Cabbage Patch Kids, and the Nintendo Entertainment System. For every He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, there's a Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light. Every Micro Machines has a Ring Raiders sitting in its shadow.
GameSpot jumped in the wayback machine to once again get up close and personal with some of the coolest forgotten toys of a bygone era. While in 2018, everything seemingly has to have a computer in it to make it worthy of play, there's something special about an action figure in which its defining characteristic is a holographic sticker with the image of a lion on it. Take a look at these forgotten gems then sound off in the comments with your favorite toys!
1. Dino-Riders
Dinosaurs are pretty intimidating by themselves. Now imagine them retrofitted with missiles and lasers guns and ridden by aliens into battle. That's what Dino-Riders was. You must be thinking, "Wow. That sounds like the greatest toy line of all time." You're not wrong. Everything about these figures and the dino vehicles they came with was so insane and over-the-top that it's surprising they're not still being made today. Alas, after three years of production (1988-1990), the line was discontinued. That's two years longer than the cartoon created to promote it, though.
2. M.A.S.K.
Mobile Armored Strike Command, otherwise known as M.A.S.K., was one of the most clever toy lines of the 1980s. Channeling Transformers, M.A.S.K. featured vehicles that transformed into battle machines--imagine a Camaro that becomes a flying fighter jet--and came complete with figures to drive them all. It even got a cartoon meant to promote toy sales. Its only major misstep was having figures be a different scale than G.I. Joe. It made making your own crossovers very difficult. Thankfully they were the same scale as Dino-Riders, so that made for some very interesting battles.
3. Mighty Max
Given the success of Polly Pocket, Mattel decided to make a version marketed toward young boys. Mighty Max was essentially a pocket-sized Indiana Jones playset, featuring a kid as the hero. Like many other toys of the era, a cartoon was produced to promote it.
4. My Buddy and Kid Sister
Were you an only child in the 1980s? If so, you probably had My Buddy or Kid Sister. It was essentially the sibling stand-in every parent thought their kid needed--including mine! And, somehow, it worked. Sure, it's just a doll, but wherever I go, he goes. My Buddy and me.
5. Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies were a lot like My Buddy and Kid Sister dolls. Except, instead of standing in for non-existent siblings, they made for good imaginary pets. These stuffed dogs came in a variety of colors and, thanks to an animated series, even introduced some characters. The best, of course, was Cooler. He was the leader of the pack and wore a members only jacket.
6. Action Max
Did you have a Nintendo or Sega Master System in the '80s? Of course, you did. What you probably didn't have was an Action Max, AKA possibly the worst video game console of all time. It wasn't so much a console as it was a light gun you used to shoot at ghosts, jets, and whatever else was used as targets in various Action Max "games." In reality, these games were VHS tapes you played in your VCR. Still, if you remember The Rescue of Pops Ghostly, you're one of the few and proud.
7. Super Naturals
There was a period in the 1980s where holographic images were all the rage. Based on what angle you looked at the image, you might see something different. The undisputed king of this gimmick was Super Naturals, which printed some seriously haunting imagery on these ghost and demon toys.
8. Battle Beasts
These little figures that were essentially weaponized animals wearing body armor--a trend in the '80s--were fun, but not much of a breakaway hit. After all, the coolest thing about them was the tiny holographic square on each, which paled in size compared to what Super Naturals had to offer.
9. Centurions
Centurions were a bizarre line of action figures. While the base figures themselves left a lot to be desired, the entire gimmick was everything you could attach to them. From body armor to wings to weaponry to helmets, just by swapping parts around you could construct your own custom figure. Sure, they were big and bulky, but who cares? They looked awesome.
10. Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light
Another toy that, more or less, existed just to cash in on the holographic image craze. Visionaries were a line of mystical knights that fought against the Darkling Lords on the planet Prysmos. Yes, it sounds like I made that up. No, I didn't. If you don't remember them, you're not alone. The toy line bombed and led to the cancellation of the cartoon series and comic book associated with it.
11. Food Fighters
"Don't play with your food!" It's something everyone heard as a child at some point. Food Fighters were the exception to that rule, though. These actions figures looked like pizza slices, hamburgers, and chicken drumsticks--but were packing some serious heat. They might not have lasted long after being introduced in 1989, but they were definitely a blast to play with. FOOD FIGHT!
12. Sky Commanders
Sky Commanders deserved to be much more popular than they were. These action figures, and the vehicles they traveled in, essentially traveled via a variety of zip lines that came with the toys. If you ended up with a decent collection of Sky Commanders, chances are your bedroom was a tangle of strings that sent them flying everywhere. While G.I. Joe may have been the gold standard of action figures and vehicles, these were just so different and fun to play with.
13. Ring Raiders
Ring Raiders were essentially Micro Machine airplanes that attached to plastic rings you could wear. It was a weird idea and, just like Micro Machines, you couldn't help but want to collect them all.
14. M.U.S.C.L.E.
These tiny flesh colored figures couldn't be posed, but looked like someone had mashed together anime and pro wrestling into a fantastic hodgepodge. One question that never seemed to be answered, though, is what M.U.S.C.L.E. is an acronym for. It turns out it's short for Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere.
15. The Incredible Crash Dummies
How did a PSA for auto safety become a line of action figures? It's a question for the ages, but somehow the misadventures of Vince and Larry--the crash dummy characters-- became action figures that would explode into pieces on contact, making for many fun car crashes, falls, and just about anything else you could do to them.
16. Barnyard Commandos
What Food Fighters did for slices of pizza and chicken drumsticks, Barnyard Commandos did for sheep, pigs, and the like. One of the cardinal rules of the '80s seemed to be that if all else fails, strap guns to it and kids will love it. In this toy line--and the accompanying cartoon series--it was the R.A.M.S. (Rebel Army of Military Sheep) facing off against the P.O.R.K.S. (Platoon of Rebel Killer Swine) in the farm war to end all farm wars.
17. Computer Warriors
Computer Warriors were essentially Transformers if Transformers turned into things far less exciting that jet fighters and fast cars. Instead they transformed into items like a soccer trophy, a can of Pepsi, and a pencil sharpener. Try to contain your glee.
18. Floam
Everyone remembers Gak. Thanks to Gak, everyone could practically bring home their own vat of Nickelodeon slime. Sure, it made a mess, but it was so cool. Less memorable was Gak's cousin, Floam. Originally called "bubble gak," Floam was less slimy and more like little beans of foam that clung together. Not as messy or fun, but still cool in its own right.
19. Crossfire
Crossfire! You'll get caught up in the...Crossfire! All it takes is that one line to immediately implant the commercial for this strange board game in your mind once again. While the real deal wasn't quite like the space fight club the commercial promised, it was still a lot of fun.
20. Eliminator TS-7
What's better than one toy weapon? Seven toy weapons. What's better than seven toy weapons? Seven toy weapons built into a single toy weapon. The Eliminator TS-7 is the very definition of overkill. And just in case you think it's an amazing Nerf gun, it doesn't actually shoot anything. It's just blinking lights.
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